Dive Brief:
- Marking its first retail partner in the U.S., Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty intimates brand on Thursday launched in Nordstrom stores and on its website.
- The brand’s products will be available in 16 locations in cities including Seattle, New York City, Chicago, San Diego, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Dallas and Atlanta, according to a Thursday press release.
- The brand is bringing its Soft N’ Savage collection to Nordstrom, alongside its other core offerings, including more than 130 bra and underwear styles. Starting at $16.95, the assortment in Nordstrom features products in bra sizes ranging from 32A to 46DDD and underwear ranging from XS to 4X, per the press release.
Dive Insight:
The tie-up with Nordstrom will allow Savage X Fenty to expand its distribution and reach new customers by tapping into the department store’s “highly engaged, loyal customer base,” according to Savage X Fenty CEO Hillary Super. Super became Savage X Fenty’s CEO last year, with Rihanna remaining executive chair of the company.
The Nordstrom rollout builds on Savage X Fenty’s physical retail strategy. In January 2022, Savage X Fenty opened its first brick-and-mortar store in Las Vegas and said it planned to open more stores in Los Angeles, Houston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Later that year, the brand announced plans to double its store count with six more locations.
For Nordstrom, the partnership builds on the department store’s efforts to remain relevant with consumers by bringing in younger, popular brands.
“We are committed to offering our customers the best and most relevant brands in the market, and we are thrilled to partner with Savage X Fenty to bring their lingerie collection to Nordstrom. This partnership is an exciting opportunity to expand our product selection and appeal to a younger audience seeking the latest in size-inclusive lingerie that embodies everyday sexy,” Emily Crandall, senior vice president and divisional merchandise manager of women’s apparel at Nordstrom, said in a statement.
Besides Nordstrom’s collaboration with Savage X Fenty, the department store chain has also brought other digitally native brands into its stores. Last month, Nordstrom announced plans to add more Indochino shop-in-shops in select stores as part of a partnership that began in 2020. The retailer has previously partnered with other DTC brands like Bonobos, Reformation and Everlane to draw more customers into stores.
About a year ago, Nordstrom said it would continue its expansion plan to open more Nordstrom Rack locations despite its financial woes. And in April, the company unveiled a digital marketplace where customers could buy from brands like Cynthia Rowley, Adore Me and Mulberry. More recently, after Pete and Erik Nordstrom expressed interest in taking the company private earlier this year, the department store’s board of directors created a special committee to “carefully evaluate any proposal from Erik and Pete Nordstrom and any proposals from other parties and consider whether they are in the best interests of Nordstrom and all shareholders.”
